Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
Another exhibit at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art that I rather liked was “Swarm” by David Eisenhour. Described as bronze and mixed media jellyfish, the work hangs and rotates, catching natural light from the Museum’s two story windows.
Can you make out the cherubic faces in this one?
All the jellyfish were interesting. Some were easier than others to catch as they revolved.
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art has an exhibit entitled “Artist’s Books Chapter Five: Women, Now and Then“, a small room of assemblages that focus on aspects of women’s lives and what it means to be a woman. Interesting, comical, disturbing and beautiful. This one by Teri Greeves caught my eye. Entitled “Book of Dance and Dress,” it is six pages of beaded artistry portraying the dance and clothing of Native women. The book appears to be constructed of deerskin.
The dancing portrayed is contemporary and taken from competitive pow wow dance styles.
It was behind glass. I wish I could have gotten closer. The detail was gorgeous.
A bunch of us got together yesterday to visit a tantalizingly beautiful garden on Bainbridge Island, about an hour from Sequim. There was a chance of rain. And it was raining in Sequim. But we hit the road with optimism, ever hopeful. The rain didn’t let up but Plan B was no disappointment either. We visited the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, a sleek and modern spot that I for one had passed many times on the way to the Bainbridge ferry to Seattle.
It’s a small two-story building with a nice rooftop garden and one side opens onto a pretty courtyard. The art on view is a small collection — enough to be engaging but not so much as to overwhelm. For me it was just right. There’s also a nicely curated gift shop and a small bistro that made me long for an early lunch. All in all a very nice substitute…and the garden still waits.
This little guy or gal was avidly hunting dinner when I came upon it at Hobuck Beach in Neah Bay. Our camp neighbor, a birder, identified it as a northern plover but I haven’t found it in my bird book. Anyone else care to make a guess?
People of a certain age may remember a television show called “Dragnet,” a seminal early police drama. This police car, or “black and white,” parked outside Victor’s Lavender last weekend could have come from the Dragnet set. It’s a replica of a 1956 Los Angeles, California Police Department (LAPD) squad car owned by Port Angeles locals George and Carole March. A two year restoration project, it was researched for authenticity with former LAPD officers and on the internet.
The lights, siren, radio, and seals on the car are all period correct…though I doubt that the holographic material on the dashboard would have been around in Sgt. Friday’s time. It’s a real blast from the past. It lives not far from Victor’s Lavender and it was fun to see it up close last weekend.
Over the years I’ve heard interesting lavender talks at the Sequim Lavender Festival. Last weekend I heard one of the best yet at Victor’s Lavender. Any lavender farm is pretty by its nature and Victor’s is no exception. But Victor’s Lavender has one special difference: Victor Gonzalez.
Victor is an expert in growing and propagating lavender which he freely admits he learned through trial and error. He came from a farm family that legally emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. His strong work ethic eventually landed him a job at a local Sequim farm whose manager was interested in growing lavender, a plant Victor had never heard of. Failures taught Victor one lesson after another until he was successfully propagating tens of thousands of plants. Today he not only produces lavender plants and products commercially he also consults internationally on cultivating lavender, including trips for the USAID’s Farmer-to-Farmer program. Click here for more information about Victor. He’s an interesting guy!
Here’s the front view of Victor’s operation. Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the police car parked in front.
The raspberries at Greysmarsh Farm are ripening. I love raspberries and I love picking them. I’m a forager at heart. I also love reaching into the freezer and pulling out berries I’ve harvested. It’s fun to be surrounded by happy people picking, too. As I walk down the rows of plants as I pick I hear snippets of conversations. I lost track of how many times I heard “vanilla ice cream” as I picked. Perfect pairing!
I came home with over five pounds. The raspberry sorbet I made is already gone. I may have to find some vanilla ice cream. There are some raspberries waiting for their gastronomic soul mate.